Secretary



M. V. BAUER.

SECRETARY.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 9. 1919.

Patented Dec. 28, 1920.

f 16 I] 6 In" UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SECRETARY.

I Specification of Letters Patent. Patented De 28., 1920 Application filed October 9, 1919. Serial No. 329,473.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARTHA VIOLA BAUER, a citizen of the United States, residing at \Vashington, District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Secretaries, of which'the following is a specification.

This invention relates to portable secretaries, sewing tables, or like articlesof furniture and has as one of its'objects to provide an article of this class especially designed for use in connection with an arm chair, the article being especially constructed to adapt it to be so positioned upon the arms ofa chair as to prevent its accidental displacement while in use and to permit of its employment in the most convenient and comfortable manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide an article of this class so constructed that its application to a chair will not be liable to result in injury to or marring of the finish of the chair A further object ofthe invention is to provide an article of the class mentioned comprising a boardhaving a plane upper surface and provided upon its under side with compa ments in which may be housed articles of utility such for example as en'- velops, paper, pens, and other writingmaterials, or if desired, sewing materials.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the manner of using the article embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional perspective view of the article,

the same is to be positioned upon the arms of an arm chair. v 1

The article embodying the invention comprises essentially a board 1 which is preferably, though not necessarily, rectangular in form and which board may be of wood or any other material suitable for the purpose or of a composition ofmaterials. If the article is to be employed as a secretary, it will probably be found desirable-to provide the four corners of the board with pockets.

2 within which may be fitted the corners of a blotter or other covering 3 for the writing surface of the board 1. The board 1 is of a length to extend over both arms of an arm chair when the article is applied to the chair in the manner shown in Figs. 1 and 3 compartments 4, and the bottom walls of these compartments comprises a board 5 which is secured by means of screws or other suitable fastening elements 6, at its rear edge, to the lower horizontal wing 7 of a channel iron 8 which is secured by suitable fastening elements 9 passing through its upper horizontal wing 10 to the under side of the board 1, preferably in position parallel to the forward or outer edge of the said board. The numeral 11 indicates end walls, and it will be understood that the 11 define a space beneath the said board 1 which space is divided by any suitable number of partitions 12 into the compartments 4 above referred to. The compartments are open at their forward sides except that a hinged door is provided for normally closing the compartments and this door is indicated by the numeral 13 and is connected by means of spring hinges 14 with the forward edge of the board 1.

The numeral '15 indicates a cleat or strip of wood or other suitable material which is disposed against the rear side of the channel the under side of the board 1 and this cleat or strip constitutes the means provided for coaction with the arms of the chair in connection with which the device is. employed, for limiting the movement of the device upon the arms of the chair and consequently for holding the device against accidental displacement. In order that, when the device is disposed upon the arms of an arm chair in the manner shown in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings, the finish of the arms will not be marred due to engagement of the under side of the board 1 with the upper sides of the arms and the engagement of the cleat 15 against the forward sides of the arms, a lining sheet 16 is provided and is secured to the under surface of the board 1 rearwardly of the cleat and has its forward edge portion turned downwardly as at 17 to boards 1 and 5, channel iron 8, and end walls 1 bar 8 and is secured thereto and if desired to Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the article, the view illustrating the manner in WhlCh:

constitute a lining or covering for the rear face of the cleat.

-From the foregoing description of the invention it will be understood that the device may be readily positioned upon the arms-of an arm chair in such manner as to afford a conveniently located writing or work surface. It will further be understood that the compartments 4 in no way interfere with the application of the device to an arm chair and at the same time articles of utility may be introduced into and removed from the compartments without disturbing the. positionof the device as a whole upon the arms of the chair by merely reaching forwardlytion lying beside the said rear edge thereof.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A secretary or the like comprising a board, and a shoulder member constituting an abutment for the arms of a chair upon which the board is disposed to rest and extending transversely the entire length of the underside of the board whereby the said shifting of the board upon ,the said arms,

the shoulder member will remain in engagement 'With the ends of the arms.

3. A secretary or the like comprising a board, a compartment upon the under side of the board at the forward portion thereof, the compartment being open at its forward end, and a suspended swinging closure for the said forward end of the compartment, the rearwall of the compartment constituting an abutment shoulder for engagement with the arms of a chair upon which the board is disposed to rest.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

MARTHA VIOLA BAUER. [1,. 8.] 

